Amplifier

Clambering and clucking around in a disarray of feedback and unabashed prog-alt-country-rock is clearly the way forward for British guitar bands. Distophia dropped their suicide bomb of a début release on us last autumn with the magnificently tuneful, yet quaintly melancholy, ‘Soda Lake’ fizzing and burning knowing ears ever since. It is quite a different prospect in the flesh, however: screwed-up eyes struggling to contain the fervour, visceral jabbing of guitars, vocals almost crying for your attention - evoking memories of Desaparecidos, Sonic Youth and Pavement - protest that your innocence may not last too much longer. You will start wanting to know more.

Amplifier almost had something to live up to after the preceding astonishing performance but a show in their hometown never needs extra crowd-baiting. For those that know where their accomplished heavy rock has come from, it is a wonderful thing to see the fruition. They throw dirty rock shapes, silhouetted against white light, with a towering sonic backdrop cluttered with effects pedals and unkempt distortion. With a long-awaited Chris Sheldon produced début album incoming at a rate of knots, and a sound almost born for sale en masse, it is difficult to see anything but success in the forthcoming years.